Taguchi Orthogonal Array Research Articles

Effect of tantalum addition on the mechanical properties of tungsten/tantalum composite thin films

Tungsten (W) when used as a plasma-facing material (PFM) in a tokamak will face harsh neutron radiation and high-temperature fluctuations. Due to its ductile-to-brittle transition temperature (DBTT), W behaves as a brittle material in lower temperatures and thus helps in propagating cracks easily resulting in dust formation and failure of material. In this study, an attempt has been made to improve the ductility, hardness, and toughness of W thin films by adding tantalum (Ta) to it, resulting in composite thin films. W/Ta composite thin films deposited on reduced-activation ferritic martensitic steel (RAFM) steel by RF magnetron sputtering method are compared with W thin films deposited on the same substrate. Taguchi orthogonal array is used to get the best properties for the composite thin films and nanoindentation technique is used to evaluate the mechanical properties of developed thin films. With the least hardness of 7.19 Gpa, composite film hardness is 452% lesser than the maximum hardness of (39.54 Gpa) W films. The reduction in hardness for composite thin films has not depleted the toughness as the Ef/Es ratio is higher than cracking threshold of 1.3. The maximum plastic energy absorbed for yield by composite films during nanoindentation is (1710 mN nm) 14% higher than W thin film (1500 mN nm), indicating the composite film is a ductile and tougher than the W film.

Influence of process conditions on the sulfonation of methyl ester synthesized from used cooking oil: Optimization by Taguchi approach

AbstractDeveloping a robust and facile process route for fatty acid methyl ester sulfonate (MES) synthesis is of importance for industrial applications. Herein, Taguchi orthogonal array (OA) approach was used for the first time to establish the optimum process condition for the sulfonation of methyl esters (ME) with chlorosulfonic acid (CSA). According to the experimental design, the most significant parameter was sulfonation temperature, followed by CSA/ME molar ratio. Under the optimum sulfonation conditions (that is, 70°C sulfonation temperature, 2.0 h sulfonation time, 1.5:1 mol/mol CSA/ME molar ratio and 2.0 h aging time), the MES yield and the corresponding signal/noise ratio were 92.08 ± 0.28% and 39.28, respectively. The obtained FTIR and 1H NMR data revealed spectra associated with methyl (CH2 asymmetric and CH2 symmetric stretching vibrations), esters (CO, CO, and OCH3), and sulfonate (SO) groups in the MES sample synthesized under optimal conditions, thus confirming the target MES product. Surface tension measurements revealed that the optimal MES sample had a low critical miscelle concentration of 0.082 g/L at a surface tension of 51.2 mN/m, implying the possibility of better performance.

Estimation of rutin‐loaded chitosan sodium alginate nanoparticles in rat plasma using a chemometrics‐assisted bioanalytical high‐performance liquid chromatography method

AbstractRutin, a flavonoid glycoside is mostly made up of phenolic compounds and is involved in a variety of biological processes. Rutin‐loaded chitosan‐alginate nanoparticles were prepared for enhancing the site specificity and bioavailability. The main focus of the current research work was to develop and validate a simple, accurate, and robust bioanalytical reverse‐phase high‐performance liquid chromatography method using the Design of Experiments principles for the estimation of rutin‐loaded chitosan‐alginate nanoparticles in plasma. A mixture of methanol and phosphate buffer in the ratio of 45:55 v/v was used as the mobile phase. The pH of the mobile phase is adjusted to 3.2 with 80% orthophosphoric acid; the flow rate was optimized to 1.0 ml/min and the ultraviolet absorption wavelength at 254 nm. Critical analytical attributes were screened with Taguchi orthogonal array model design. To develop and analyze a “Design Space,” Box‐Behnken three‐level, three‐factorial design in the design of experiment was employed. Analysis of variance, contour plots, and three‐dimensional surface response plots were used to statistically assess this design, and the model was shown to be statistically significant. The devised approach was validated according to the recommendations of the International Council for Harmonization (Q2 R1). The linearity of the developed method showed excellent in the range of 100 to 900 ng/ml with good regression (R2 > 0.998), the limit of quantitation (30 ng/ml), and the limit of detection (10 ng/ml). The validation findings of the parameters were examined and found to be within acceptable limits. The study findings stated that the Quality by Design‐driven bioanalytical approach is applicable for the in vivo and in vitro quantification of rutin derived from bulk and rutin‐loaded chitosan‐alginate nanoparticles formation.

Multi-response optimization of magnetic abrasive finishing process parameters on AISI H13 hot die steel using grey relational analysis

This paper presents a new approach for the optimization of machining parameters on magnetic abrasive finishing (MAF) of AISI H13 hot die steel with multiple responses based on the orthogonal array with grey relational analysis. The process has been explored widely for the finishing of plane surfaces on pillar drilling machine. Taguchi orthogonal arrays L27 Designs of experiment method was used for planning of experiments. Total of 27 Experiments were conducted on AISI H13 hot die steel to check the best factor level combination. Five process parameters such as abrasive size, cutting speed, finishing time, machining gap, and magnetic flux density are optimized using multiple responses such as surface roughness (Ra) and metal removal rate (MRR). The Grey Relational Analysis (GRA) was utilized to analyze the results to find the optimum condition and identify the significant parameters affecting the surface roughness and the metal removal rate on H13 hot die steel. Magnetic abrasive finishing machining parameters combination of experiment no. 14 has the highest grey relation grade (GRG) of 0.922. The ideal parameter combination to achieve optimum output are cutting speed of 118.24 m/min, abrasive mesh size of 600, finishing time of 10 min, Machining gap of 1 mm, and Magnetic flux density of 485 gauss. The surface roughness (Ra) value was improved from 0.753 µm to 0.452 µm.

Multi Wear Response Optimization of Ti-6Al-7Nb Biomedical Alloy

Titanium-Niobium (Ti-Nb) based alloys are predominantly used as an implant material within the Bio-medical field due to their unique characteristics such as non-toxicity, better Osseo-integration, high resistance to corrosion, high strength to weight quantitative relation and biocompatibility. This paper proposes to optimize the control parameters for multi-response optimization of Ti-6Al-7Nb bio-medical alloy based Grey Relational Analysis combined with the Taguchi approach. Wear rate (WR), coefficient of friction (COF), and frictional force were the response characteristics studied (FF). The Taguchi methodology is used in conjunction with the grey interpersonal evaluation as a performance index to determine the best set of control parameters. Applied Load, Rotational Speed, and Time were the control parameters evaluated. Experimentations are designed using L9 Taguchi's orthogonal array and carried out on a pin-on-disc setup in agreement by ASTM G99. The experimental outcomes display that the applied load has the greatest impact on the Ti-6Al-7Nb bio-medical alloy's various wear characteristics. This approach has been successfully rummage-sale to recover the wear response of Ti-6Al-7Nb bio-medical alloy.

Friction Optimization of Talc Powder-Reinforced Elastomers for Prosthetic Foot Application

Patients with lower limb amputation usually use prosthetic feet. Elastomeric material is an important part of prosthetic feet since it can determine their safety and lifetime. The elastomeric material should have high friction for safety, and at the same time it should have low wear for a longer lifetime. This research is aimed to study the optimum formulation of talc-powder-reinforced silicone elastomer to obtain high friction during sliding contact. The Taguchi orthogonal array L9 formula is used to achieve the aforementioned goal. The experiments use multiple parameters, namely, the type of silicone, the type of surface texture, the amount of catalyst, and the amount of talc powder. The results show that the combination of RTV 683, a smooth texture, 4% of catalyst, and 60% of talc powder is the most optimum composition to obtain the highest frictional force. It has a higher friction force in comparison with the imported products, and, at the same time, it has comparable wear with the imported products. The hardness of the optimized materials is comparable with the imported products. However, the tensile and tear strengths of the optimized materials need to be improved.

Experimental investigation and numerical analysis using Taguchi and ANOVA methods for underwater friction stir welding of aluminium alloy 2017 process improvement

The effect of under water friction stir welding for 5 mm AA2017 aluminum alloy plaque on mechanical properties has been examined and optimized. Nine different tests were designed according to Taguchi orthogonal array without changing the welding tool. Three variable operating parameters (Welding velocity, rotational velocity and axial force) have been used with three levels for each parameter. The effects of each FSW parameters on the weld joint were discussed and analyzed, the analysis of variance (ANOVA) is adopted to identify the contribution of each FSW underwater parameters. Moreover, the statistical Taguchi method (TM) was employed to pridect the optimal combination of welding parameters to improve the tensile properties such astensile strength (TS) of welded joints. In addition, the experimental tests show good agreement with that obtained by the proposed mathematical model. Wherethe obtained validation results confirm the robustness of the optimization method as a useful tool to improve the quality responses of underwater friction stir welding.

Investigation and optimization of parameters in face milling of S50C steel under MQL system

This paper aims to investigate cutting and lubrication parameters on surface roughness, cutting force, and material removal rate in face milling of JIS S50C carbon steel under a peanut oil-assisted Minimum Quantity Lubricant system. The five 3-level cutting process parameters were considered variants, including cutting speed, feed rate, depth of cut, air pressure, and lubrication flow. The experimental design was based on Taguchi's orthogonal array L27. The Analysis of variance is used to analyze the effect of cutting parameters and lubrication conditions on the surface roughness and cutting force. In addition, both regression optimizer procedures based on regression models and the Multi-Criteria Decision Making method were successfully applied to find the optimum conditions of the cutting parameter. The results showed the advantage and disadvantages of each technique. The Multi-Objective Optimization by Ratio Analysis was used in finding the best alternative. However, these values may not be an optimum condition. Mathematically, a regression optimizer may better determine the optimal value.

Entropy-guided VIKOR technique for optimal selection of aluminium hybrid metal matrix composites

The objective of this study is to assess the most suitable aluminum hybrid metal matrix composite through mechanical and physical characterizations utilizing the Entropy-VIKOR optimization method. To appraise the optimal composite, aluminum hybrid metal matrix composites were manufactured following the L18 Taguchi orthogonal array, which was designed by considering three levels of matrix materials, two levels of hybrid reinforcements, and three levels of weight percent of reinforcements. The production of Aluminum Hybrid Metal Matrix Composites (AHMMCs) was conducted using the stir casting process under optimal conditions and subjected to testing for mechanical and physical characterization, including hardness, tensile strength, porosity, and density. These characterizations were examined using the Entropy-VIKOR method to determine the optimum AHMMC. Ultimately, the Entropy-VIKOR optimization outcomes revealed that a 9% silicon carbide with flyash-reinforced AA5083 composite emerged as the optimal AHMMC material concerning its mechanical and physical characteristics. Finally, microstructural studies were carried out on the optimal AHMMC using a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) to assess the uniformity of particle distribution in the matrix. The SEM results demonstrated the uniform dispersion of reinforcement particles with no voids.

Application of Taguchi orthogonal array design to optimize microencapsulationof zinc by spray-drying

Zinc is an essential trace element for the body to maintain normal health and perform important functions. As zinc is not stored in the body, it needs to be replenished through our daily diet. Microencapsulation technique can be used to encapsulate the functional ingredient such as zinc by masking its metallic taste and enhancing its bioavailability. Among the micro encapsulation techniques, spray-drying is the most economical and scalable method. Zinc was micro encapsulatedby spray-drying using maltodextrin, HI-CAP® 100 and WPI along with gum Arabic as wall materials. The spray-drying conditionswere optimized using Taguchi L18 orthogonal array design usingencapsulation efficiency and bulk density as response factors. The influence of wall materials, wall material to zinc ratio and inlet air temperature was evaluated. Microcapsules prepared with HI-CAP® 100 in the ratio of 20:1 at 185°C showed maximum encapsulation efficiency, whereas microcapsules with HI-CAP®100 in the ratio of 10:1 at 185°C had maximum bulk density. The microencapsulated zinc powder had bulk density of 437.40-541.20kg/m3 and encapsulation efficiency of 76.86-92.65%. Validation experiments confirmed that Taguchi orthogonal array design was successful in optimizing microencapsulation of zinc. Microencapsulated zinc can be fortified in various delivery systems such as milk and milk products.

Prediction of erosion rate by a novel method and parametric optimization of edm of novel sic insulated ceramic reinforced with carbon nano tube

In this study, a mathematical model for the multi-optimization of Silicon carbide [SiC] reinforced by Carbon Nano tube [CNT] machined by Electrical discharge machining[EDM] has been done. SiC has an excellent mechanical properties owing to its large use as heat exchangers, sensors and automotive brake discs, etc. All of these applications need a highly precise machined hole with reasonable surface clarity. But due to its high hardness it is impossible to be machined by Conventional mode of machining. As SiC is a highly nonconductive ceramic CNT reinforcement make it possible to machine it by EDM and also increases its mechanical properties. For this study-three different proportion of CNT [2%, 4%, 6%] by Volume has been considered as reinforced material. For selecting the optimal process parameter L9 Taguchi Orthogonal array has been designed for this study by considering different output parameters [i.e CNT Proportion, Current, Voltage & Pulse-On time]. Material removal rate [MRR] and Surface roughness [SR/Ra] has been calculated by conducting the experimentation. The best setting of Process parameters has been predicted by Taguchi Coupled with GREY method. At the optimal condition the deviation in between the experimental result and the predicted result is 4.3% for MRR and 4% for SR respectively. The regression model has been done with R2 and R2adj showing above 90%. ANOVA analysis has been also shows 4% CNT reinforced SiC ceramic can be considered for used in automobile, sensor industries.

Optimization and Analysis of a Low-Pressure Water Scrubbing Biogas Upgrading System via the Taguchi and Response Surface Methodology Approaches

Biogas upgrading is essential in order to increase the calorific value and improve the quality of raw biogas. This present study aims at investigating the optimum performance of a near atmospheric pressure water scrubbing (NAPWS) system for biogas upgrading while using both the adsorption and absorption techniques. This was achieved through a two-stage process: namely, the Taguchi approach followed by the response surface methodology (RSM). The Taguchi orthogonal array design consisted of 27 runs where the raw biogas pressure (10 - 30 kPa), liquid flow rates (2.6 - 4.2 l/ min.) and variations of the steel wool height (0 - 45.72 cm) in the adsorption column were experimentally studied with respect to the methane (CH4) yield and removal efficiency of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and carbon dioxide (CO2). From the experiments, the removal efficiency of hydrogen sulfide was greater than 87% with the average bio-methane content of 77.67%. During the second-stage, the analysis of variance (ANOVA) and the RSM were undertaken for optimization of the process parameters. The optimum bio-methane concentration of 84.71 (%v/v) CH4 and 13.31 (%v/v) CO2 was attained at gas pressure of 14kPa, liquid flow rate of 4.2 l/min., and steel wool height at 22.86cm obtained through numerical optimization. These results revealed that the utilization of the Taguchi and the RSM yielded to the best optimal system performance with the liquid flow rate as the most significant factor

Combined Impact of EGR Rate and Magnetic Intensity on Performance and Emission of C.I. Engine Operated with Blended Fuel

The combined impact of the MFC and EGR methods on the performance of the C.I. engine is investigated experimentally in this study. The work focused on biodiesel fuel under the effect of different EGR rates 10-30% with the optimal value of fuel polarization. At first, the magnetic intensity optimization was done with other engine design parameters by using diesel fuel alone. The study covered a wide range of engine parameters to select the optimal valves. Using the Taguchi approach and orthogonal array L16 to solve the five factors, such as: CR (15,16,17, and 18), IP (175,200,225, and 250 bar), MFC (4000,6000,8000, and 12000 Gauss), load (25,50,75, and 100%), and TI (19, 21, 23, and 27 degree b TDC). The results showed that the diesel engine's optimum parameters were CR=18, IP=200bar, MFC=8000 Gauss, load 100%, and TI=23° b TDC. The results indicated that the coefficient of determination has an excellent level (i.e.), R2 =97.05% Peak fisher valve F=8.37, with normally distributed and significant coefficients in the model, was utilized to test the model capability. The outcome shows that the 10WCO+10% EGR+8000G has higher cylinder pressure and the BTE increased by 12.5% if compared with DF, and lower brake specific fuel consumption.

Experimental Investigation and Optimization of AZ31 Mg alloy during Warm Incremental Sheet Forming to Study Fracture and Forming Behaviour

The main purpose of this research work is to study the forming limit and fracture behaviour of the AZ31 magnesium alloy, as well as to improve the formability and surface roughness of parts formed using the warm incremental sheet forming (ISF) process. For the ISF process, AZ31 Mg alloy sheets were used. Initially, Taguchi orthogonal L27 arrays were used to design experiments, and a framed multi-objective optimization problem was solved using the grey-fuzzy method. The strain-based forming fracture limit diagrams (FFLD) were plotted after a variable wall angle test. The grey-fuzzy reasoning grade (GFRG) is calculated in this study by combining grey relational analysis (GRA) and fuzzy rationale. For the AZ31 Mg alloy, the maximum GFRG value was obtained for the following forming combinations: step depth 0.3 mm, feed rate 500 mm/min, spindle speed 700 rpm, and tool diameter 10 mm. Then, ANOVA was used to determine the importance of parameters on the responses, and it was discovered that the step depth has the greatest influence (68.78%) on GFRG value, followed by the feed rate (16.56%). The fracture behaviour of the Mg alloy was studied using fractographs. Later, FE simulation was used to validate the strain value obtained from experimentation and to investigate the effect of process parameters on responses.

Process optimization and kinetics for ultrasonication assisted extraction of phospholipids from ghee residue

AbstractGhee is a major Indian dairy product with a pleasant flavor. During its manufacture, ghee residue is obtained as the by‐product, which consists of substantial quantity of phospholipids. Phospholipids exhibit emulsifying properties and offer some health benefits. The present study aimed to optimize the process parameters for the extraction of phospholipids from ghee residue (GR) using ultrasonication. The GR was subjected to a series of pre‐treatments before ultrasonication. The hot water treatment led to reduction in nonpolar lipids and improved polar lipids (35.47% fat basis). Taguchi orthogonal array design was employed for optimization of ultrasound power, treatment temperature, time and solvent:solid (S:S) ratio with phospholipid content and antioxidant activity as the response variables. The phospholipid content ranged between 18.54% and 23.89% and antioxidant activity of the extracted samples varied from 47.01% to 50.64% expressed as radical scavenging activity by DPPH assay, while for the untreated GR, the PL and antioxidant activity were 4.98% and 32.75%, respectively. The power level of 80%, 80°C treatment temperature, S:S ratio of 15 and sonication time of 4 min. resulted in maximum extraction of phospholipids (24.12%). The yield of phospholipids was quantified as 13.1% and 8.88% by two elution techniques using solid phase extraction methods. The predicted and experimental values for the responses were in good agreement with R2 value of 0.98. Power and temperature were found to be significant (p < 0.01) in influencing phospholipids yield. For antioxidant activity of the extract, S:S ratio exerted significant effect (p < 0.01). The experimental data were fit in four defined empirical models for understanding the extraction kinetics. Based on the R2 values, the models explained the kinetics in the following order: Parabolic model>Power law>Peleg's model>Elovich's model.Practical applicationsPresently, ghee residue is often discarded as waste or used as animal feed by most of the ghee manufacturing dairy plants. Few studies were conducted to incorporate ghee residue as an ingredient in different food products. However, the present study opens new avenues for utilization of this by‐product for extraction of high value bioactive components, that is, phospholipids, with the help of novel technology; namely ultrasonication. The phospholipids have techno‐functional properties as an emulsifier. One of the classes of phospholipids, that is, sphingomyelin has unique health benefits, therefore this extract will also have scope as a nutraceutical. Thus, there is great practical utility for the present findings. In addition, for the scaling up of extraction techniques, the understanding of mass transfer kinetics is very vital and the same had been studied in the present investigation. Thus, the findings of this study are helpful in determining the ideal ultrasound‐assisted extraction conditions for extraction of phospholipids from ghee residue. Kinetics of extraction will help to explore opportunities for scale‐up of the process.

Fabrication of Rigid Polyurethane Foam Lumbar Spine Model for Surgical Training using Indirect Additive Manufacturing

Lumbar model is an artificial bone that is commonly used in surgical training to simulate working with the human-like bone for the trainer. The common lumbar model is made of rigid polyurethane (PU) foam and is produced using casting. However, the current lumbar model is expensive and has limitations in representing the real human lumbar, especially in geometry, visuals, and haptics. Therefore, an alternative method of fabricating lumbar models made of rigid polyurethane for surgical training using indirect additive manufacturing will be investigated in this paper. The proposed indirect additive manufacturing is a combination of 3D printing and casting methods. The main process of this method is started by fabricating a mold made of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) using fused deposition modeling (FDM) 3D printing and subsequently casting PU foam material into the 3D printed PVA mold. Accordingly, the aim of this study is to find the optimized casting process parameters, especially for injecting the material into the mold, to achieve a better quality of lumbar model. The study was conducted using a Design of Experiment (DoE) Taguchi Orthogonal Array to optimize the casting process. The geometrical measurements of middle end-plate depth, upper end-plate width, spinal canal width, spinal canal depth, and lower pedicle length show the error ranged from 0.14% to 0.85%. The average porosity, measured from the body, lamina, and spinous, was found to be non-uniform. It is ranged from 19.58% to 21.94% on the middle part and 39.78% to 45.41% on the subsurface of lumbar model. The density was increased by 64.89% compared to the reference open molded PU foam.

Calibration of UAV Flight Parameters to Inspect the Deterioration of Heritage Façades Using Orthogonal Arrays

Heritage façades are relevant to the historical preservation and identity of a city. Their deterioration can cause the devaluation of the urban environment, together with accidents caused by possible detachment of their different elements; therefore, maintaining them is crucial. It is important to have early warning systems in place, systems which would indicate potential damage and deterioration of such façades, which can be caused by factors such as humidity, earthquakes, the passage of time, or even people. This is often done through visual inspection; however, visual inspection is often affected by external factors, such as the financing of the on-site inspection and the availability of experts. Unmanned aircraft vehicles (UAVs) are a practical and economical tool that has facilitated and improved imaging by regulating parameters such as camera angle, capture distance and image overlap, thus allowing improvements in photogrammetry techniques for virtual reconstruction processes. Although the implementation of this technology has been studied in recent years, research has focused primarily on horizontal structures, such as roads. In the case of vertical structures, flight parameters are traditionally defined by trial and error, without any methodological procedure. Therefore, this paper proposes a methodology to calibrate UAV flight parameters to build a photogrammetric 3D model of a vertical structure. This proposal is based on the development of a series of experiments configured through Taguchi orthogonal arrays, which is a method that significantly reduces the number of experiments required. This methodology is applied to a case study of a façade with architectural heritage features. The results obtained offer a flight plan and the optimal parameters to achieve efficiency in the capture of images in an inspection of heritage façades, thus achieving the optimisation of resources and time.

Drilling Strategies to Improve the Geometrical and Dimensional Accuracy of Deep through Holes Made in PA6 Alloy.

This article shows how different drilling strategies may affect the geometrical and dimensional accuracy of deep through holes. The tests were conducted on a three-axis direct-drive turning center. The holes were drilled in cylindrical PA6 aluminum alloy specimens 30 mm in length and 30 mm in diameter using 6 mm Ø VHM HPC TiAlN-coated twist drill bits. The cutting fluid was supplied to the cutting zone through the spindle. The experiments involved applying three strategies to drill deep through (5D) holes. The first required the workpiece to be fixed and the tool to perform both rotary and reciprocating motions. The second assumed that the workpiece performed the primary (rotary) motion whereas the tool moved in reciprocating motion. In the third strategy, the workpiece and the tool rotated in opposite directions and the tool also performed a reciprocating motion. The straightness, roundness, cylindricity, and diameter errors were the key output parameters in the analysis of the geometrical and dimensional accuracy of holes. The Taguchi orthogonal array design of experiment (DOE) was employed to determine the effects of the input (cutting) parameters (i.e., spindle speed and feed per revolution) and the type of hole making strategy on the hole errors by means of multi-factor statistical analysis ANOVA. The use of the highest spindle speed (n = 4775 rpm), the highest feed per revolution (fn = 0.14 mm/rev) and strategy I resulted in the lowest values of the output parameters (STR = 22.7 µm, RON = 8.6 µm, CYL = 28.2 µm, and DE = 9.9 µm). Strategy I was reported to be the most effective for hole drilling in PA6 aluminum alloy because, irrespective of the values of the process parameters used, three out of four output parameters, i.e., straightness, roundness and diameter errors, reached the lowest values.

EFFECT OF BUILD PARAMETERS ON PROCESS PERFORMANCES AND MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF PRINTED PRODUCT IN FUSED DEPOSITION MODELLING METHOD

Fused deposition modelling performances are dominated by selection of process parameters. Multi objective optimisation is essential in ensuring excellent product mechanical properties, surface quality and resource efficiency. This paper presents a preliminary work based on Taguchi orthogonal array design of experiment, considering build orientation, printing angle and layer thickness as the input factors. The build orientation has a significant influence on tensile strength while the layer thickness on energy consumption and printing time. Adverse effects on the responses can be observed during the attempts. However, two factors optimisations were still achievable. Optimal settings should be suited based on final application and economical constraints. This study has established a groundwork of further studies in optimisation of quality of the method.

Wear Characteristics of Hybrid Polymer Composite Manufactured by Hand Layup Technique Using Fuzzy Logic Systems

Synthetic fiber reinforced composites have already been proved to be stronger and more durable. The composites are being globally used in all the possible fields like automobiles, aircraft and marine industry. The present work is an investigation on the wear behaviour of the hybrid polymer composites. In this experimental work, the carbon fibres are reinforced with vinyl ester, g-C3N4 and Si3N4 were used to obtain hybrid composite by hand layup technique. The experiments were designed according to Taguchi (L27) orthogonal array. Experiments are carried out using slurry abrasive wear testing machine to inspect the wear rate. Further, a fuzzy logic model is adopted for the estimation of sliding wear in hybrid composites by the experimental data. Results showed that estimated fuzzy logic outputs are compared to experimental results, which is very much satisfied with a mean error estimation of 0.27%, so that the fuzzy logic model can be efficiently used to compute the wear performance.